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History 4300
Telling Lives: Oral History, Testimonio, and Memoir in Latin American
History
Fall 2009
Wednesday, 9:35-12:25
McCain Arts and Social Sciences, 1198
Dr. Jaymie Patricia Heilman
3180 McCain Arts & Social Science Building
Office Hours: Friday, 1:00-3:00 and by appointment
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 902-494-3628
McCain Lobby Mail Box: 80
Course Description
This seminar explores the place of oral history and first-person narratives in the writing
of Latin American history. Through our readings, discussions, and presentations, we will
consider the unique strengths and potential weaknesses of oral histories, testimonios and
memoirs. Each student will prepare a research paper that situates a particular oral history,
testimonio or memoir in its larger historical context.
Course Requirements
Active Participation in Discussions: 30 points
Active participation in weekly discussion sections is central to this course. Active
participation means much more than just regular attendance in class; it means
asking questions, offering thoughtful responses to readings, and reflecting on
weekly discussion questions provided in advance.
Preliminary Topic Statement and Bibliography: 5 points
Students must submit a statement of their research topic and a preliminary
bibliography on September 30. This preliminary bibliography should include, at
the very least, 5 books and 8 articles listed in JSTOR, Project Muse, and/or
Historical Abstracts.
A list of potential research projects will be provided in class.
Outline of Research Project: 10 points
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Students must submit a detailed outline of their papers by Monday, October 26th
at NOON. These outlines must include the paper‟s thesis statement and a
comprehensive sketch of the paper‟s layout. The outline should be approximately
3 pages in length. The professor will meet with students individually on October
30th
to discuss the outlines and provide suggestions.
Research Presentation: 20 points
Students are to make a 20 minute presentation on their research projects. These
are formal presentations to the class and will be evaluated in terms of content and
style of delivery.
Final Research Project: 35 points
The final research paper should be approximately 20-25 double-spaced pages in
length, with endnotes rather than footnotes. These papers are due December 4th
by 4:00 p.m. Papers are to be submitted to box #80 in the McCain lobby.
Students must employ formal citation methods throughout their essays. For
guidance on citation methods, see the History Department Website Resources for
Students.
Required Texts
There are three required monographs for this course, all available at Outside the Lines
Bookstore on Quinpool Road
Belli, Gioconda. The Country Under My Skin: A Memoir of Love and War (New
York: Knopf, 2002)
James, Daniel. Doña María’s Story: Life History, Memory and Political Identity
(Durham: Duke University Press, 2000)
Reuque Paillalef, Rosa Isolde. When a Flower is Reborn: The Life and Times of A
Mapuche Feminist (Durham: Duke University Press, 2002)
There is also a (small) reader available for purchase at Julia‟s Copy, 1525 Lemarchant
Street.
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Grading and Evaluation
Grading for this course adheres to the Dalhousie Grade Scale. That grade scale is
as follows:
GRADE SCALE
A+ 90-100
A 85-89
A- 80-84
B+ 77-79
B 73-76
B- 70-72
C+ 67-69
C 61-66
C- 55-60
D 50-54
F Below 50
Late Policies
Late papers will be penalized by 2.5% per day late, including weekends. Final research
papers submitted late will not receive comments. Papers submitted more than one week
late will not be accepted. No extensions will be provided, save in cases of documented
medical or family emergencies.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities should register as quickly as possible at Student Accessibility
Services if they want to receive academic accommodations. To do so please phone 494-
2836, e-mail [email protected], or drop in at the Killam, G28.
Statement on Plagiarism
All students in this class are to read and understand the policies on plagiarism and
academic honesty referenced in the Policies and Student Resources sections of the
plagiarism.dal.ca website. Ignorance of such policies is no excuse for violations.
Dalhousie University subscribes to Turnitin.com, a computer-based service which checks
for originality in submitted papers. Any paper submitted by a student at Dalhousie
University may be checked for originality to confirm that the student has not plagiarised
from other sources. Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offence which may lead
to loss of credit, suspension or expulsion from the University, or even to the revocation of
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a degree. It is essential that there be correct attribution of authorities from which facts and
opinions have been derived. At Dalhousie there are University Regulations which deal
with plagiarism and, prior to submitting any paper in a course, students should read the
Policy on Intellectual Honesty contained in the Calendar or on the Online Dalhousie
website. The Senate has affirmed the right of any instructor to require that student papers
be submitted in both written and computer-readable format, and to submit any paper to a
check such as that performed by Turnitin.com. As a student in this class, you are to keep
an electronic copy of any paper you submit, and the course instructor may require you to
submit that electronic copy on demand. Copies of student papers checked by this process
will be retained by Turnitin.com.
Schedule of Readings and Assignments
September 16: Introduction to Course
September 23: Oral History as a Method
Readings: Alessandro Portelli, The Death of Luigi Trastulli and Other Stories:
Form and Meaning in Oral History, 1-44. In Course Reader.
Alessandro Portelli, “The Peculiarities of Oral History,” in History Workshop
Journal 1981 (12): 96-107. (Available through Historical Abstracts and Oxford
University Press Journals.)
September 30: Doña María‟s Story
Reading: Daniel James, Doña María’s Story, 1-118.
TOPIC STATEMENT AND PRELIMINARY BIBLIOGRAPHY DUE IN
CLASS.
October 7: Reading Doña María‟s Story
Readings: Daniel James, Doña María’s Story, 119-299.
October 14: Chile, Obstinate Memory
Readings: Thomas Miller Klubock, “History and Memory in Neoliberal Chile:
Patricio Guzmán‟s „Obstinate Memory‟ and „The Battle of Chile‟.” Radical
History Review 2003 (85): 272-281. (Available through Historical Abstracts)
October 21: Testimonio as Method
Readings: Isolde Reuque, When a Flower is Reborn
October 28: Individual meetings with Professor
OUTLINES DUE Monday, October 26 by NOON
November 4: Memoir as Method
Readings: Gioconda Belli, The Country Under My Skin
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November 11: Remembrance Day. No Class
November 18: Student Presentations
November 25: Student Presentations
December 2: Student Presentations
Pandemic H1N1 Influenza Advisory in relation to Academic Continuity
In the event of an escalation of the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus, the
University may need to authorize Academic Units to change elements of
class schedules and/or evaluation plans as outlined in course syllabi. Any
change is intended to support the primary goal of reducing the risk of spreading
a pandemic influenza among students, faculty and staff.
Although it is difficult to predict the severity of the pandemic, the
University is committed to minimizing the impact on student's academic
progress. Therefore, every effort will be made to provide students with
options for continued learning and for continued fair evaluations.
Changes may include but are not limited to:
. Adjustments to course assignments;
. Changes to the dates of exams;
. Arrangements for alternative evaluations for students
affected
by H1N1 influenza virus;
. Adjustments to work terms;
. Modification of marks awarded for participation;
. Adjustments to attendance policies.
Any alternative plan made in individual courses may be superseded by
University-wide or Government measures to reduce the spread of the
pandemic H1N1 influenza virus.